Baby carriage



L. LARSEN BABY CARRIAGE April 211, 119369 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.30, 1935 April! 211, 193% L LARsEN BABY CARRIAGE Filed Sept. 30, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BABYCARRIAGE Application September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,724

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in baby carriages and it consistsof the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

The type of baby carriage with which the invention is more particularlyconcerned, is of the kind which includes folding end frames and acollapsible body with a rigid top frame having a guided movement withrespect to the end frames so that the body may be collapsed and the endframes then may be swung inwardly and downwardly upon the collapsedbody.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide in a folding carriageof this kind, a simple novel and easily manipulatable connection betweenthe body top frame and the end frames whereby the folding and unfoldingor opening operations may be readily carried out.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a carriage of thiskind a novel pivoted link connection between the end frames and body topframe, whereby a pair of links is releasably secured in substantialparallelism with each end frame, to hold the carriage in its opencondition and whereby each pair of the links may be released from itsend frame to swing about the pivotal connection therefor so that thebody may collapse and the end frames may thereafter be folded down uponthe collapsed body.

The above mentioned objects of the invention as well as others, togetherwith the several advantages thereof, will more fully appear as I proceedwith my specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved baby carriage as whenextended or opened into its con- Y dition for use, certain parts of thebody being shown as broken away to more clearly disclose the bottomcontour frame therefor.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the various frames in the carriageand illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which the carriage folds.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view through a part of thecarriage on an enlarged scale as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is another detail vertical sectional view through a part of thecarriage as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention, illustratedin the accompanying drawings, the carriage includes a Wheel framecomprising a pair of substantially horizontal, longitudinal framemembers llll0 having upturned front and rear ends ll and I2respectively. The frame members are held in spaced relation by means offront and rear axles l3 and I4 carrying the usual pairs of wheels 15 andI6 respectively.

I'I indicates the front end frame of a generally inverted U shape andwhich includes side members or legs l8-|8 and a top connecting memberIS. The bottom end of each side member l8 has a clip strap 20 secured tothe outside thereof. Each strap extends a suitable distance beyond theextremity of its associated side member and is pivotally connected tothe extremity of an upturned frame member end ll by means of a pin 2i.The extremity of each clip strap is bent to form a hook 22 to engage apart of the associated frame end ll so as to limit the pivotal orswinging movement of the front end frame in one direction, to asubstantially upright position as best shown in Fig. 1.

From the construction above described, it is apparent that the end framemay be swung from its folded position, wherein it is disposedsubstantially horizontal to its unfolded open or extended substantiallyupright position as shown in Fig. 1. This position is further shown indotted lines in Fig. 2. It is to be understood that the upright positionis determined by the engagement of the hooks of the clip straps with theassociated, upturned end of the wheel frame side members lll-l0.

Associated with the side members I8 of the front end frame is a pair oflinks 23, each link being pivoted at a point between its ends as at 24to a member 18. This divides each link into a relatively long top endarm 25 and a shorter bottom end arm 26. In the bottom extremity of eacharm part 26 is a notch 21 defined by laterally spaced shoulders 28-49.One of said shoulders is shorter than the other and is provided with arounded edge 29a as best appears in Fig. 4. In the bottom end of eachside member l8 of the frame I! is a pair of relatively shortlongitudinal slots 30, the purpose of which will soon appear.

3i indicates the rear end frame of the carriage, which includes sidemembers 3232 and a top cross member 33, the latter including a handle34. The top curved ends of the side members are spread slightlyoutwardly so as to permit said frame to fold down upon the front endframe when the carriage is in its folded condition.

The bottom end of each side member 32 also has a clip strap 20 securedto the outside thereof. Each clip strap extends a suitable distancebeyond the extremity of its associated side member and is pivotallyconnected to the'corresponding end I2 of the members ID by a pin 2|. Theextremity of each clip strap, as before, is bent to form a hook 22 toengage a part of the associated end [2 so as to limit the pivotal orswinging movement of the rear end frame in one direction to asubstantially upright extended position as appears in Figs. 1 and 2. Inthis so-called upright extended position, the bottom straight end of theside members do not extend truly perpendicular but lean slightlyrearwardly thereof as this gives a better angle for the frame in pushingthe carriage in the conventional manner.

Pivoted to the side members 32 of the rear end frame, is a pair of links23 similar to those described in connection with the front end frame [1.

The links 23 may be swung about their pivotal axes or connections 24from a position parallel with the side members of the end frame to aposition substantially at a right angle thereto. To releasably securesaid links in parallelism with the side members of the respective endframes I l and 3| I provide the following:

Extending between the side members of each end frame is a cross bar 35having upwardly offset end parts 36 that extend through the slots 30 inthe respective side members of the end frames. A spring 31 on theoutside of each end frame side member connects the pivot pin 24 with theextremity of said cross bar end part 36 to urge the same upwardly in theslots 30.

The end parts of the cross bar 35 are so disposed with respect to thepivot pins 24 of the links as to engage in the recess 21 of the links 23to hold them in parallelism with the associated side members of the endframes. When the bar 35 is depressed downwardly as by pressing thereonwith the foot, this causes a downward movement of the bar end parts inthe slots 3!] and withdraws the said end parts from engagement in thenotches 21 in said links 23 so that said links are free to swing withrespect to said end parts.

38 indicates the body of the carriage as a whole, which includes a bodyfabric 39 and a rigid top frame 40.

The body fabric 39 is made up of side walls 4|, a bottom wall 42 and endwalls 43, suitably secured together at their margins. The top margin ofthe body fabric is made as a hem or pocket to receive the top frame 40.The side walls of the body fabric are cut to such shape that when thebody is in its open or extended condition, it substantially follows thecontour of the wheel frame members II], the front end frame and thebottom part of the rear end frame. As the body fabric is flexible, thereis provided within the bottom of the body, a frame 44 which not onlyholds the body bottom to form, but which supports the usual cushioningmaterial for the baby occupant.

A foldable hood 45 of any approved form is pivotally connected to theside members of the body top frame, at a point about midway of the endsthereof.

To operatively mount the collapsible body with respect to the endframes, the top ends of the top arms of the links 23 are pivotallyconnected as at 45 to the ends of the body top frame. The top frame forthe body is of such length that when the carriage is in its unfoldedopen position an outward pressure, forwardly and rearwardly is exertedon the end frames to slightly spring the clip straps so that the endframes themselves are somewhat tensioned. This rigidifies the framestructure of the carriage as a whole.

When the carriage is in its open extended condition, ready for use, theend frames stand substantially upright with the links 23 in parallelismtherewith as best shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. It is to beunderstood that the links are locked in this position by reason of theengagement of the end portions 36 of the bars 35 in the notches 21 inthe bottom end of said links. Should it be desired to fold the carriagefor storage or transport in an automobile, the procedure is as follows:

The operator merely exerts a foot pressure on the dropped mid portion ofthe bar 35 associated with the front end frame and this causes adisengagement of the end portions of the bar from the notches 21 in theassociated links 23. By grasping the top cross member I9 of the frameand swinging it inwardly and downwardly, the top end arms of said linksswing outwardly and downwardly to cause a collapse of the correspondingend of the body, until the cross member I9 comes to rest upon the topframe of the body. This position of the parts is best shown in fulllines at the right hand end of Fig. 2.

The cross bar for the rear end frame is depressed in a similar mannerand this withdraws the end parts of the bars from looking engage mentwith the links associated with the rear end outwardly or rearwardly anddownwardly to collapse the rear end of the body. In Fig. 2, the rear endframe is shown in full lines in an intermediate position of its foldingdownward upon the collapsed body.

To open up the carriage into its position of use,

the rear end frame is swung rearwardly and the rear end of the bodyframe is lifted upwardly until the point of connection between said bodyframe and the links is disposed in a horizontal plane above that of thepivotal connection 24. Further upward swinging movement of the rear endframe will cause the link to straighten out into parallelism with theside members of the rear end frame. In this straightening out of thelinks, the rounded corner 29a thereof will engage the end portions 36 ofthe cross rod 35 and will depress the same so that said portions willpass the shoulder 29 and will snap into the notches 21 to lock this endof the carriage in its extended condition.

The front end structure is actuated in the same manner, into the dottedline position shown in Fig. 2. When the links are releasably locked totheir respective end frames, the end frames are held in their uprightposition by the top frame of the body which is then supported in itsopen extended condition by said end frames.

The structure described is of a simple and inexpensive character; iseasy, positive and efficient in its operation and may be so operated byan inexperienced person.

While in describing the invention, I have referred in detail to theform, arrangement and construction of the various parts thereof, thesame is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do notwish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected to each side member of the end frameand also pivotally connected to the body top frame, and a foot operablemember disposed below the plane of the rigid top frame and extendingbetween both side members of the end frame and arranged to engageportions of both links to releasably secure them to the associated sidemembers of the end frame against said pivotal movement.

2. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected to each side member of the end frameand also pivotally connected to the body top frame, and a memberextending between both side members of the end frame and arranged in aplane convenient to be foot-actuated and capable of a limitedlongitudinal movement with respect to the end frame for engagingportions of both links to releasably secure them to the associated sidemembers of the end frame against said pivotal movement.

3. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected at a point between its ends to eachside member of the end frame, means pivotally connecting the top end ofeach link with the rigid body frame, and means arranged below the rigidtop frame for releasably locking the bottom end of each link to theassociated end frame side member against pivotal movement said meansincluding a spring pressed cross bar, the ends of which have guidedmovement in slots in the side members of the end frame.

4. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected at a point between its ends to eachside member of the end frame, means pivotally connecting the top end ofeach link with the rigid body frame, means for releasably looking thebottom end of each link to the associated end frame side member againstpivotal movement, and means extending between said end frame sidemembers arranged for foot actuation for simultaneously releasing thebottom end of both links from said side members for said pivotalmovement.

5. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected at a point between its ends to eachside member of the end frame, means pivotally connecting the top end ofeach link with the rigid body frame, and a member positioned for footactuation and extending between both side members of the end frame andhaving a limited longitudinal movement with respect thereto andreleasably engaged with the bottom end of both side members for lockingsaid links thereto against pivotal movement.

6. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected at a point between its ends to eachside member of the end frame, means pivotally connecting the top end ofeach link with the rigid body frame, the bottom end of each linkcomprising a bar having end portions engaged in slots in the sidemembers of the end frame for a notch therein, and means positioned forfoot actuation and having a limited guided movement with respect to saidside members and releasably engaged with the notches in both links forlocking said links to said side members against pivotal movement.

7. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected to an end of each sidemember of the wheel frame, a collapsible body including a rigid topframe, a link pivotally connected at a point between its ends to eachside member of the end frame, means pivotally connecting the top end ofeach link with the rigid body frame, the bottom end of each link havinga notch therein, a bar positioned for foot actuation and extendingbetween both side members of the end frame for a relative guidedmovement with respect thereto and having portions adapted for engagementin the notches in both links, and spring means interposed between saidbar and said side members for yieldingly holding said bar portions insaid notches in said links.

8. In a folding baby carriage, the combination of a wheel frameincluding substantially horizontal side members, an end frame includinga pair of side members each pivotally connected at its bottom end toeach side member of the wheel frame, there being longitudinal slots inthe bottom end of each side member, a link arranged at the inside ofeach side member and pivotally connected thereto at a point between itsends, each link having a notch in its bottom end, a collapsible bodyincluding a rigid top frame, means for pivotally connecting the top endof both links tosaid body top frame, a bar arranged transversely betweensaid side members and having end portions extending through said slotsand other portions arranged to engage in said notches in said link ends,and springs operatively engaged with said side members and said endportions of said bar respectively for releasably holding said otherportions of said bar in said notches to hold said links against pivotalmovement.

LEWIS LARSEN.

